Within Flame Plume
Could the Reported Flame Really Hold It Up?
The rise-and-fall sequence resembles thrust control, but no measurements exist to show that the emission could support the object's weight.
On this page
- How downward thrust supports a hovering vehicle
- What the witnesses said about rising and sinking
- Why force and mass cannot be calculated
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Introduction
The witnesses to the Cash–Landrum incident described a striking sequence: when the bright flame beneath the reported object intensified, it appeared to rise; when the flame diminished, it seemed to sink. At first glance, that pattern resembles the way a rocket or other thrust-powered vehicle controls altitude. However, resemblance is not the same as demonstration. No measurements of the object’s mass, the exhaust velocity, the plume diameter, the temperature, or the surrounding airflow were ever recorded. As a result, there is no way to determine whether the reported flame could actually have generated enough force to support the object. The claim therefore remains a qualitative observation rather than a testable engineering conclusion.[Cufon]cufon.orgBergstrom AFB Interview of Betty Cash, Vickie & Colby Landrum, Part 1 of 2August 17, 1981…
How Downward Thrust Supports a Hovering Vehicle
A vehicle that hovers by reaction thrust must satisfy a simple physical requirement: the downward momentum carried away by its exhaust must produce an upward force equal to the vehicle’s weight. If the thrust exceeds the weight, the vehicle climbs. If thrust falls below the weight, it descends.
This principle applies regardless of whether the vehicle is a rocket, jet-powered craft or another reaction-propulsion system. In practical engineering, however, thrust cannot be inferred merely from the brightness of an exhaust. Engineers normally require information such as:
- exhaust velocity;
- mass flow rate;
- nozzle dimensions;
- vehicle mass; and
- the duration of the thrust.
Without these quantities, a visible flame cannot be converted into a numerical lifting force. A bright plume may produce relatively little thrust, while an almost invisible high-speed exhaust can produce enormous force. Appearance alone is therefore an unreliable indicator of lifting capability.[arXiv]arxiv.orgUnderstanding and Mitigating Plume Effects During Powered Descents on the Moon and MarsFebruary 24, 2021…
What the Witnesses Said About Rising and Sinking
The Bergstrom Air Force interview contains one of the clearest descriptions of the reported relationship between the flame and the object’s movement. Vickie Landrum stated that when the fire came down, the object lifted, and when the fire eased, it settled back towards the trees. She also described a final, larger burst of flame accompanied by a louder sound before the object climbed away. Betty Cash likewise described intermittent bursts of fire and a distinctive rushing noise, although she did not explain the rise-and-fall sequence in the same detail.[Cufon]cufon.orgBergstrom AFB Interview of Betty Cash, Vickie & Colby Landrum, Part 1 of 2August 17, 1981…
Taken literally, the sequence resembles controlled thrust modulation:
- stronger downward emission followed by ascent;
- weaker emission followed by descent;
- one final, stronger burst preceding departure.
That internal consistency is one reason the propulsion aspect of the witnesses’ account has attracted attention. The description does not read like a randomly fluctuating light source. Instead, the witnesses associated changes in the apparent exhaust with changes in altitude.
Even so, the observation remains descriptive rather than quantitative. The witnesses estimated motion visually at night while looking into an intensely bright object. They did not measure altitude, climb rate, acceleration or exhaust characteristics. Consequently, the reported correlation cannot be translated into physical performance figures.[Cufon]cufon.orgBergstrom AFB Interview of Betty Cash, Vickie & Colby Landrum, Part 1 of 2August 17, 1981…
Why Force and Mass Cannot Be Calculated
The central obstacle is that every variable needed for an engineering calculation is unknown.
No verified evidence establishes:
- the object’s dimensions;
- its weight or mass;
- the velocity of the emitted gases;
- the volume or density of the plume;
- the duration of each burst;
- whether the visible flame represented the entire exhaust or only a luminous portion of it.
Without those inputs, Newton’s laws cannot be used to estimate lift. Any calculation would require assumptions about nearly every variable and would therefore reflect the assumptions rather than the evidence.
This limitation also prevents meaningful comparisons with known aircraft or rockets. A rocket producing enough thrust to hover generally creates intense noise, substantial blast effects and powerful air movement. The witnesses reported loud sounds and severe heat, but there are no contemporaneous measurements of overpressure, wind velocity or thermal output that would allow those reports to be compared quantitatively with known propulsion systems.[Cufon]cufon.orgBergstrom AFB Interview of Betty Cash, Vickie & Colby Landrum, Part 1 of 2August 17, 1981…
Could the Visible Flame Have Been Misleading?
Another uncertainty is the relationship between the visible flame and whatever propulsion—if any—actually existed.
In conventional propulsion systems, the brightest part of an exhaust is not always the part producing most of the momentum. Combustion chemistry, incandescent particles and atmospheric effects can alter the appearance of a flame without changing thrust proportionally. Conversely, some very efficient propulsion systems produce relatively little visible flame despite generating substantial force.
Night-time viewing conditions further complicate interpretation. Extreme brightness can obscure the boundaries of an object, making it difficult to judge the size, shape and exact extent of any plume. Vickie Landrum herself acknowledged difficulty distinguishing separate flames because of the intensity of the light. That means the witnesses could reasonably describe changes in apparent brightness without those changes necessarily corresponding directly to changes in thrust.[Cufon]cufon.orgBergstrom AFB Interview of Betty Cash, Vickie & Colby Landrum, Part 1 of 2August 17, 1981…
What Can and Cannot Be Concluded
Within the reported narrative, the flame behaves in a mechanically plausible way: increased downward emission coincides with ascent, while reduced emission coincides with descent. That is exactly the pattern expected from a thrust-supported vehicle.
However, plausibility is not proof. The available evidence does not allow investigators to determine whether the reported plume possessed enough momentum to support the object’s weight because neither the thrust nor the weight can be estimated from the surviving record.
The strongest evidence therefore supports only a limited conclusion. The witnesses consistently described a pattern that resembles controlled vertical thrust, but the incident provides no measurable basis for demonstrating that the reported flame actually generated lift. The claim remains an observational inference rather than an engineering result.[cufon.org]cufon.orgBergstrom AFB Interview of Betty Cash, Vickie & Colby Landrum, Part 1 of 2August 17, 1981…
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Endnotes
1.
Source: cufon.org
Link:https://www.cufon.org/cufon/cashlani.htm
Source snippet
Bergstrom AFB Interview of Betty Cash, Vickie & [Colby Landrum]({{ 'colby-landrum/' | relative_url }}), Part 1 of 2August 17, 1981...
Published: August 17, 1981
2.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Cash–Landrum incident
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash%E2%80%93Landrum_incident
3.
Source: arxiv.org
Link:https://arxiv.org/abs/2102.12312
Source snippet
Understanding and Mitigating Plume Effects During Powered Descents on the Moon and MarsFebruary 24, 2021...
Published: February 24, 2021
4.
Source: cufon.org
Title: cufon o
Link:https://www.cufon.org/cufon/cufon-o.htm
5.
Source: youtube.com
Title: UFO Hunters: Life-Altering Alien Encounter (S2, E8) | Full Episode | History
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPkW9XBX0fU
Source snippet
The Cash - Landrum UFO Encounter | Dark Mysteries...
6.
Source: youtube.com
Title: The Cash
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6sV0LIy7GI
Source snippet
Cash-Landrum UFO Encounter or Something Scarier?...
7.
Source: wikidisc.org
Title: Cash–Landrum incident | Wiki Disc
Link:https://www.wikidisc.org/wiki/Cash%E2%80%93Landrum_incident
Source snippet
Cash–Landrum incident | WikiDiscJuly 1, 2026 — ^{[2]} However, investigators who later examined the vehicle found that documentation of t...
Published: July 1, 2026
8.
Source: iheart.com
Link:https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1333-state-of-the-unknown-docu-273188091/episode/the-cashlandrum-incident-the-night-327865434/
Additional References
9.
Source: theexclusionzone.com
Title: cash landrum 1980 ufo federal lawsuit
Link:https://www.theexclusionzone.com/cash-landrum-1980-ufo-federal-lawsuit/
Source snippet
They explained that the Air Force no longer investigated UFO cases following the closure of Project Blue Book in 1969, and they provid...
10.
Source: unsolvedreport.com
Title: cash landrum incident 1980
Link:https://www.unsolvedreport.com/en/cash-landrum-incident-1980/
Source snippet
Cash-Landrum Incident 1980: The UFO That Left Real Burns | Unsolved ReportJune 1, 2026 — CASH-LANDRUM INCIDENT 1980: THE UFO THAT LEFT RE...
Published: June 1, 2026
11.
Source: aliencouncil.com
Title: 00027 cash landrum 1980
Link:https://aliencouncil.com/cases/00027-cash-landrum-1980/
Source snippet
Cash–Landrum incident — 29 December 1980 · The CouncilJuly 16, 2026 — CASE #00027 · CASE OF RECORD CASH–LANDRUM INCIDENT — 29 DECEMBER 19...
Published: July 16, 2026
12.
Source: anomalydesk.com
Title: cash landrum incident
Link:https://anomalydesk.com/cash-landrum-incident.html
Source snippet
The Cash-Landrum Incident (December 1980) | AnomalyDesk Case File 088May 21, 2026 — File 088 · Open Case The Cash-Landrum Incident Pillar...
Published: May 21, 2026
13.
Source: youtube.com
Title: THE CASH LANDRUM INCIDENT | MOST CREDIBLE UFO CASE IN HISTORY
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzoOTCOUMKA
Source snippet
Did Aliens Cause This Family Health Problems? | Cash-Landrum Incident...
14.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Cash-Landrum UFO Encounter or Something Scarier?
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_3CfT4I9nk
Source snippet
THE CASH LANDRUM INCIDENT | MOST CREDIBLE UFO CASE IN HISTORY...
15.
Source: projectblackecho.com
Link:https://www.projectblackecho.com/incidents/close-encounters/cash-landrum-close-encounter
16.
Source: tvi.show
Link:https://www.tvi.show/legend-hunters/the-cash-landrum-incident
17.
Source: listennotes.com
Link:https://www.listennotes.com/bg/podcasts/investigate-earth/ufos-uaps-and-the-cash-fpB36uNjsYD/
18.
Source: listennotes.com
Link:https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/podcast-ufo/676-rare-live-interview-with-DOajSfltYPM/